Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncalcos’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Suncalcos’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; large dark reddish purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNCALCOS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Suncalcos’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new mounding and freely-branchingCalibrachoa plants with attractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2006 of aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number3156-8, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 3138-5, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceOctober, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Suncalcos’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Suncalcos’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Large dark reddish purple-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact and mounding        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact and mounding        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have vivid pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of‘Sunbelkos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,094. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newCalibrachoa and ‘Sunbelkos’ differed primarily in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact and mounding        than plants of ‘Sunbelkos’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Sunbelkos’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter internodes than        plants of ‘Sunbelkos’.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had longer and broader leaves        than plants of ‘Sunbelkos’.    -   5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Sunbelkos’.    -   6. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants        of ‘Sunbelkos’.    -   7. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Sunbelkos’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunbelkos’ had more reddish-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncalcos’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Suncalcos’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the spring and earlysummer in an outdoor nursery. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C.Plants were four and five months old when the description andphotographs, respectively, were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Suncalcos’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 3156-8, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 3138-5, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at            15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;            freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching is not required, but will            enhance lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15.6 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 50.2 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 23.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.1 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 6 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse to cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C; venation, close to 145A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 145A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 74 open flowers per plant at one time; flowers            face upright or outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three            to four weeks after planting; long flowering period;            flowering commences naturally during the spring and plants            flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn            in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 3.1 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 9 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 2.2 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.3 cm.            Diameter: About 6 mm. Color: Close to N78B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.7 cm. Petal width: About 2.1 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded with truncate tendencies.            Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when            opening, upper surface: Close to N74A; towards the throat,            close to 72A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to            72B to 72C. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to            N74B; towards the throat, close to 72A; color becoming            lighter than N74B with development. Petal, fully opened,            lower surface: Close to N74C. Throat: Close to 1B. Tube:            Close to 150D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 9 mm to            16.5 mm. Sepal width: About 3.5 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, immature and            mature, upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, immature and            mature, lower surface: Close to 137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.            Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per            flower. Stamen length: About 6.3 mm to 11 mm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 0.9 mm by 1.4 mm. Anther            color: Close to 9C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 10B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 9.1 mm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma            shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to            N144C. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Seed/fruit: Seed and            fruit development have not been observed on plants of the            new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncalcos’ as illustratedand described.